the wars of the jews-第24章

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me　into　his　mind　relating　to　his　mother's　misfortunes；　as　if　his　soul　foreboded　some　mischief　to　itself。　Those　therefore　of　his　friends　which　were　the　most　considerate　advised　him　not　rashly　to　go　to　his　father；　till　he　had　learned　what　were　the　occasions　why　his　mother　had　been　ejected；　because　they　were　afraid　that　he　might　be　involved　in　the　calumnies　that　had　been　cast　upon　his　mother：　but　those　that　were　less　considerate；　and　had　more　regard　to　their　own　desires　of　seeing　their　native　country；　than　to　Antipater's　safety；　persuaded　him　to　make　haste　home；　and　not；　by　delaying　his　journey；　afford　his　father　ground　for　an　ill　suspicion；　and　give　a　handle　to　those　that　raised　stories　against　him；　for　that　in　case　any　thing　had　been　moved　to　his　disadvantage；　it　was　owing　to　his　absence；　which　durst　not　have　been　done　had　he　been　present。　And　they　said　it　was　absurd　to　deprive　himself　of　certain　happiness；　for　the　sake　of　an　uncertain　suspicion；　and　not　rather　to　return　to　his　father；　and　take　the　royal　authority　upon　him；　which　was　in　a　state　of　fluctuation　on　his　account　only。　Antipater　complied　with　this　last　advice；　for　Providence　hurried　him　on　＇to　his　destruction＇。　So　he　passed　over　the　sea；　and　landed　at　Sebastus；　the　haven　of　Cesarea。

4。　And　here　he　found　a　perfect　and　unexpected　solitude；　while　ever　body　avoided　him；　and　nobody　durst　come　at　him；　for　he　was　equally　hated　by　all　men；　and　now　that　hatred　had　liberty　to　show　itself；　and　the　dread　men　were　in　at　the　king's　anger　made　men　keep　from　him；　for　the　whole　city　＇of　Jerusalem＇　was　filled　with　the　rumors　about　Antipater；　and　Antipater　himself　was　the　only　person　who　was　ignorant　of　them；　for　as　no　man　was　dismissed　more　magnificently　when　he　began　his　voyage　to　Rome　so　was　no　man　now　received　back　with　greater　ignominy。　And　indeed　he　began　already　to　suspect　what　misfortunes　there　were　in　Herod's　family；　yet　did　he　cunningly　conceal　his　suspicion；　and　while　he　was　inwardly　ready　to　die　for　fear；　he　put　on　a　forced　boldness　of　countenance。　Nor　could　he　now　fly　any　whither；　nor　had　he　any　way　of　emerging　out　of　the　difficulties　which　encompassed　him；　nor　indeed　had　he　even　there　any　certain　intelligence　of　the　affairs　of　the　royal　family；　by　reason　of　the　threats　the　king　had　given　out：　yet　had　he　some　small　hopes　of　better　tidings；　for　perhaps　nothing　had　been　discovered；　or　if　any　discovery　had　been　made；　perhaps　he　should　be　able　to　clear　himself　by　impudence　and　artful　tricks；　which　were　the　only　things　he　relied　upon　for　his　deliverance。

5。　And　with　these　hopes　did　he　screen　himself；　till　he　came　to　the　palace；　without　any　friends　with　him；　for　these　were　affronted；　and　shut　out　at　the　first　gate。　Now　Varus；　the　president　of　Syria；　happened　to　be　in　the　palace　＇at　this　juncture＇；　so　Antipater　went　in　to　his　father；　and；　putting　on　a　bold　face；　he　came　near　to　salute　him。　But　Herod　Stretched　out　his　hands；　and　turned　his　head　away　from　him；　and　cried　out；　〃Even　this　is　an　indication　of　a　parricide；　to　be　desirous　to　get　me　into　his　arms；　when　he　is　under　such　heinous　accusations。　God　confound　thee；　thou　vile　wretch；　do　not　thou　touch　me；　till　thou　hast　cleared　thyself　of　these　crimes　that　are　charged　upon　thee。　I　appoint　thee　a　court　where　thou　art　to　be　judged；　and　this　Varus；　who　is　very　seasonably　here；　to　be　thy　judge；　and　get　thou　thy　defense　ready　against　tomorrow；　for　I　give　thee　so　much　time　to　prepare　suitable　excuses　for　thyself。〃　And　as　Antipater　was　so　confounded；　that　he　was　able　to　make　no　answer　to　this　charge；　he　went　away；　but　his　mother　and　wife　came　to　him；　and　told　him　of　all　the　evidence　they　had　gotten　against　him。　Hereupon　he　recollected　himself；　and　considered　what　defense　he　should　make　against　the　accusations。

CHAPTER　32。

Antipater　Is　Accused　Before　Varus；　And　Is　Convicted　Of　Laying　A　Plot　＇Against　His　Father＇　By　The　Strongest　Evidence。　Herod　Puts　Off　His　Punishment　Till　He　Should　Be　Recovered；　And　In　The　Mean　Time　Alters　His　Testament。

1。　Now　the　day　following　the　king　assembled　a　court　of　his　kinsmen　and　friends；　and　called　in　Antipater's　friends　also。　Herod　himself；　with　Varus；　were　the　presidents；　and　Herod　called　for　all　the　witnesses；　and　ordered　them　to　be　brought　in；　among　whom　some　of　the　domestic　servants　of　Antipater's　mother　were　brought　in　also；　who　had　but　a　little　while　before　been　caught；　as　they　were　carrying　the　following　letter　from　her　to　her　son：　〃Since　all　those　things　have　been　already　discovered　to　thy　father；　do　not　thou　come　to　him；　unless　thou　canst　procure　some　assistance　from　Caesar。〃　When　this　and　the　other　witnesses　were　introduced；　Antipater　came　in；　and　falling　on　his　face　before　his　father's　feet；　he　said；　〃Father；　I　beseech　thee；　do　not　condemn　me　beforehand；　but　let　thy　ears　be　unbiassed；　and　attend　to　my　defense；　for　if　thou　wilt　give　me　leave；　I　will　demonstrate　that　I　am　innocent。〃

2。　Hereupon　Herod　cried　out　to　him　to　hold　his　peace；　and　spake　thus　to　Varus：　〃I　cannot　but　think　that　thou；　Varus；　and　every　other　upright　judge；　will　determine　that　Antipater　is　a　vile　wretch。　I　am　also　afraid　that　thou　wilt　abhor　my　ill　fortune；　and　judge　me　also　myself　worthy　of　all　sorts　of　calamity　for　begetting　such　children；　while　yet　I　ought　rather　to　be　pitied；　who　have　been　so　affectionate　a　father　to　such　wretched　sons；　for　when　I　had　settled　the　kingdom　on　my　former　sons；　even　when　they　were　young；　and　when；　besides　the　charges　of　their　education　at　Rome；　I　had　made　them　the　friends　of　Caesar；　and　made　them　envied　by　other　kings；　I　found　them　plotting　against　me。　These　have　been　put　to　death；　and　that；　in　great　measure；　for　the　sake　of　Antipater；　for　as　he　was　then　young；　and　appointed　to　be　my　successor；　I　took　care　chiefly　to　secure　him　from　danger：　but　this　profligate　wild　beast；　when　he　had　been　over　and　above　satiated　with　that　patience　which　I　showed　him；　he　made　use　of　that　abundance　I　had　given　him　against　myself；　for　I　seemed　to　him　to　live　too　long；　and　he　was　very　uneasy　at　the　old　age　I　was　arrived　at；　nor　could　he　stay　any　longer；　but　would　be　a　king　by　parricide。　And　justly　I　am　served　by　him　for　bringing　him　back　out　of　the　country　to　court；　when　he　was　of　no　esteem　before；　and　for　thrusting　out　those　sons　of　mine　that　were　born　of　the　queen；　and　for　making　him　a　successor　to　my　dominions。　I　confess　to　thee；　O　Varus；　the　great　folly　I　was　guilty　for　I　provoked　those　sons　of　mine　to　act　against　me；　and　cut　off　their　just　expectations　for　the　sake　of　Antipater；　and　indeed　what　kindness　did　I　do　them；　that　could　equal　what　I　have　done　to　Antipater？　to　I　have；　in　a　manner；　yielded　up　my　royal　while　I　am　alive；　and　whom　I　have　openly　named　for　the　successor　to　my　dominions　in　my　testament；　and　given　him　a　yearly　revenue　of　his　own　of　fifty　talents；　and　supplied　him　with　money　to　an　extravagant　degree　out　of　my　own　revenue；　and'　when　he　was　about　to　sail　to　Rome；　I　gave　him　three　talents；　and　recommended　him；　and　him　alone　of　all　my　children；　to　Caesar；　as　his　father's　deliverer。　Now　what　crimes　were　those　other　sons　of　mine　guilty　of　like　these　of　Antipater？　and　what　evidence　was　there　brought　against　them　so　strong　as　there　is　to　demonstrate　this　son　to　have　plotted　against　me？　Yet　does　this　parricide　presume　to　speak　for　himself；　and　hopes　to　obscure　the　truth　by　his　cunning　tricks。　Thou；　O　Varus；　must　guard　thyself　against　him；　for　I　know　the　wild　beast；　and　I　foresee　how　plausibly　he　will　talk；　and　his　counterfeit　lamentation。　This　was　he　who　exhorted　me　to　have　a　care　of　Alexander　when　he　was　alive；　and　not　to　intrust　my　body　with　all　men！　This　was　he　who　came　to　my　very　bed；　and　looked　about　lest　any　one　should　lay　snares　for　me！　This　was　he　who　took　care　of　my　sleep；　and　secured　me　from　fear　of　danger；　who　comforted　me　under　the　trouble　I　was　in　upon　the　slaughter　of　my　sons；　and　looked　to　see　what　affection　my　surviving　brethren　bore　me！　This　was　my　protector；　and　the　guardian　of　my　body！　And　when　I　call　to　mind；　O　Varus；　his　craftiness　upon　every　occasion；　and　his　art　of　dissembling；　I　can　hardly　believe　that　I　am　still　alive；　and　I　wonder　how　I　have　escaped　such　a　deep　plotter　of　mischief。　However；　since　some　fate　or　other　makes　my　house　desolate；　and　perpetually　raises　up　those　that　are　dearest　to　me　against　me；　I　will；　with　tears；　lament　my　hard　fortune；　and　privately　groan　under　my　lonesome　condition；　yet　am　I　resolved　that　no　one　who　thirsts　after　my　blood　shall　escape　punishment；　although　the　evidence　should　extend　itself　to　all　my　sons。〃

3。　Upon　Herod's　saying　this；　he　was　interrupted　by　the　confusion　he　was　in；　but　ordered　Nicolaus；　one　of　his　friends；　to　produce　the　evidence　against　Antipater。　But　in　the　mean　time　Antipater　lifted　up　his　head；　（for　he　lay　on　the　ground　before　his　father's　feet；）　and　cried　out　aloud；　〃Thou；　O　father；　hast　made　my　apology　for　me；　for　how　can　I　be　a　parricide；　whom　thou　thyself　confessest　to　have　always　had　for　thy　guardian？　Thou　callest　my　filial　affection　prodigious　lies　and　hypocrisy！　how　then　could　it　be　that　I；　who　was　so　subtle　in　other　matters；　should　here　be　so　mad　as　not　to　understand　that　it　was　not　easy　that　he　who　committed　so　horrid　a　crime　should　be　concealed　from　men；　but　impossible　that　he　should　be　concealed　from　the　Judge　of　heaven；　who　sees　all　things；　and　is　present　every　where？　or　did　not　I　know　what　end　my　brethren　came　to；　on　whom　God　inflicted　so　great　a　punishment　for　their　evil　designs　against　thee？　And　indeed　what　was　there　that　could　possibly　provoke　me　against　thee？　Could　the　hope　of　being　king　do　it？　I　was　a　king　already。　Could　I　suspect　hatred　from　thee？　No。　Was　not　I　beloved　by　thee？　And　what　other　fear　could　I　have？　Nay；　by　preserving　thee　safe；　I　was　a　terror　to　others。　Did　I　want　money？　No；　for　who　was　able　to　expend　so　much　as　myself？　Indeed；　father；　had　I　been　the　most　execrable　of　all　mankind；　and　had　I　had　the　soul　of　the　most　cruel　wild　beast；　must　I　not　have　been　overcome　with　the　benefits　thou　hadst　bestowed　upon　me？　whom；　as　thou　thyself　sayest；　thou　broughtest　＇into　the　palace＇；　whom　thou　didst　prefer　before　so　many　of　thy　sons；　whom　thou　madest　a　king　in　thine　own　lifetime；　and；　by　the　vast　magnitude　of　the　other　advantages　thou　bestowedst　on　me；　thou　madest　me　an　object　of　envy。　O　miserable　man！　that　thou　shouldst　undergo　this　bitter　absence；　and　thereby　afford　a　great　opportunity　for　envy　to　arise　against　thee；　and　a　long　space　for　such　as　were　laying　designs　against　thee！　Yet　was　I　absent；　father；　on　thy　affairs；　that　Sylleus　might　not　treat　thee　with　contempt　in　thine　old　age。　Rome　is　a　witness　to　my　filial　affection；　and　so　is　Caesar；　the　ruler　of　the　habitable　earth；　who　oftentimes　called　me　Philopater。　（47）　Take　here　the　letters　he　hath　sent　thee；　they　are　more　to　be　believed　than　the　calumnies　raised　here；　these　letters　are　my　only　apology；　these　I　use　as　the　demonstration　of　that　natural　affection　I　have　to　thee。　Remember　that　it　was　against　my　own　choice　that　I　sailed　＇to　Rome＇；　as　knowing　the　latent　hatred　that　was　in　the　kingdom　against　me。　It　was　thou；　O　father；　however　unwillingly；　who　hast　been　my　ruin；　by　forcing　me　to　allow　time　for　calumnies　against　me；　and　envy　at　me。　However；　I　am　come　hither；　and　am　ready　to　hear　the　evidence　there　is　against　me。　If　I　be　a　parricide；　I　have　passed　by